IRVINE, CA — Verizon Wireless, a recognized leader for its domestic violence awareness and prevention initiatives, has awarded a $4,000 grant to the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center. For nearly 20 years, the Center has served Orange County families with in-home parenting education programs that help break the generational cycle of child abuse, domestic violence and teen pregnancy. Verizon Wireless' donation will help provide the technology and education tools needed to support the Center's in-home parenting education programs.

As a part of the grand opening festivities for Verizon Wireless' new Fullerton retail store on Saturday, Dec. 15, company representatives presented a $4,000 check to the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center Executive Director Kathy McCarrell. McCarrell helped celebrate the retail store grand opening and discussed how the grant will help the center provide early intervention for high-risk families in Orange County.

"We are extremely grateful for the grant from Verizon Wireless," said Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center Executive Director Kathy McCarrell. "Our programs offer early intervention to high-risk families in their homes by a team of professional caseworkers, visiting home nurses, chemical addiction counselors, child development specialists and trained, supervised volunteers. The grant from Verizon Wireless will help us continue to provide innovative and effective early intervention programs to Orange County residents."

"We are pleased to be a new neighbor, and to support this valuable, community-oriented program serving Orange County," said George Sayegh, manager for Verizon Wireless' Fullerton retail store. "With the strong support of our executive leadership team, Verizon Wireless has contributed phones, airtime and grants to efforts to curb domestic violence. I am proud that the company is putting its resources to work to enhance the safety of local residents."

Pictures of Verizon Wireless' grant presentation to the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center, and Verizon Wireless' retail store grand opening festivities are available by contacting Andrew Colley at 949-286-8194.

About the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center

Working throughout Orange County since 1983, the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center is committed to preventing and breaking the generational cycle of child abuse, domestic violence and teen pregnancy.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 28.7 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 97 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.